Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Belfast
Breast Cancer Awareness Month takes place every October across the UK and worldwide. In Belfast, County Antrim, the campaign promotes early detection, encourages women to book their NHS breast screening appointment, and raises funds for breast cancer programmes — locally and in communities that lack access to care.
Use the official Health and Social Care Northern Ireland programme information below to check your eligibility, invitation and clinic details. Routine screening is for people without symptoms. If you notice a breast change, contact your GP rather than waiting for screening.
Breast cancer in Belfast: the local picture
Most breast cancers are diagnosed in women over 50, which is why Health and Social Care Northern Ireland offers routine screening from that age — but breast cancer can affect younger women too, so being breast aware at any age matters. Attending screening when you are invited gives women in Belfast the best chance of catching any change early.
Regional screening uptake
Health and Social Care Northern Ireland invites women aged 50–70 for breast screening every three years. HSCNI publishes programme information nationally; we do not cite city-level uptake here. View national programme source →
Find your screening service
Local screening for Belfast is delivered by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust — breast screening programme. Use the official Health and Social Care Northern Ireland finder to locate your nearest breast screening unit or confirm contact details on your invitation letter.
Find breast screening near Belfast →
The importance of early detection in Belfast
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Northern Ireland. Around 1 in 7 women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. The good news is that when detected early, the five-year survival rate in the UK is almost 90%. Regular NHS screening and breast self-awareness are the two most effective tools available to every woman in Belfast.
The NHS recommends all women become "breast aware" — meaning they know how their breasts normally look and feel, so any change can be spotted early. The Touch–Look–Check (TLC) method is the NHS-recommended approach to self-awareness and takes only a few minutes.
Screen One More from Belfast
Screen One More is Breast Cancer Charity's October campaign. The pledge is simple: contribute towards screening and care in low-income communities. £25 is an estimated screening cost; donations are pooled and the services delivered depend on local needs and resources. Whether you live in Belfast or anywhere else, October is the moment to turn awareness into a measurable outcome — one more woman examined, one more chance to catch cancer early.
Pair your pledge with the 31-Day TLC Challenge: share one fact about early detection each day in October and check your own breasts or chest using Touch–Look–Check. TLC self-examination guide →
How to get involved in Belfast this October
- Join Screen One More — contribute towards screening and care overseas
- Take the 31-Day TLC Challenge and share #ScreenOneMore on social media
- Read your invitation and check the official screening programme for eligibility and appointment details
- Organise a workplace or community fundraiser and direct proceeds to screening access
- Share the TLC method with the women in your life
Breast cancer awareness beyond Belfast
While breast cancer awareness in Belfast is well-established, millions of women in low-income communities worldwide have never had a breast examination. In many of these communities, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is around 40% — less than half the UK figure. The difference is not biology. It is access to screening, education and early diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Charity — an initiative of World Aid Network — funds mobile screening units, community health educators and subsidised treatment for women in the communities most at risk. This October, a donation from Belfast could fund a screening that saves a life on the other side of the world.